About Upfront
Upfront Ventures is seeking an Investment Associate to join our team and work closely with our partners, portfolio, and the broader tech ecosystem.
Founded in 1996 and one of the most active early-stage funds in Southern California, we are currently investing out of our seventh early-stage fund and third early-growth fund, with close to 100 active portfolio companies and growing, including companies like GOAT, Writer, Cordial, and Rula (see our whole portfolio here).
- This opportunity is onsite at our (ocean-view) Santa Monica HQ.
About the Role
The two year Associate program is designed to expose you to the full scope of a Lead VC Partner - from meeting entrepreneurs, sourcing investments, supporting portfolio companies - to building the firm-wide platform. The startup landscape and the VC industry is evolving faster than ever and you will be at the forefront of those changes.
Upon completion of the program, you will have gained strong points of view on technology shifts and the inner workings of startup operations at different stages, and have developed a wide and deep network across entrepreneurs, executives, and investors.
Our alumni have joined portfolio companies in management positions, launched their own startups, or continued their investment careers at other leading funds.
Responsibilities
- Technical Analysis: Conduct technical due diligence, evaluating the infrastructure and data architectures of potential investments
- Market Research: Identify emerging trends in infrastructure and data technologies, providing insights to inform investment theses
- Portfolio Support: Collaborate with portfolio companies, advising them on scaling their infrastructure and optimizing data systems
- Deal Sourcing: Engage with entrepreneurs and the tech community to source new deals, attend industry events, and network
- Platform Building: Develop content, research, and materials to enhance firm-wide processes; sharing insights internally and externally
- Community Engagement: Host gatherings of founders, SMEs, and investors; representing Upfront at key industry events
Ideal Experience & Qualifications
- 2-6 Years of Operator Experience: Background in engineering, data science, or ai research at a noteworthy, high-growth startup
- Analytical Skills: Strong quantitative and analytical capabilities with experience in evaluating and scaling tech solutions
- Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders
- Industry Expertise: ML research experience, side projects, and open source contributions are a plus!